Are 'child beatings' in Mosques really that widespread? (From Asian Image)

Are 'child beatings' in Mosques really that widespread?

11:35am Friday 12th December 2008

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According to a new report compiled by Irfan Chishti, Muslim children are being beaten and abused regularly by teachers at some madrassas.

Students have been slapped, punched and had their ears twisted, according to the unpublished report by the Rochdale imam based on interviews with victims in the north of England.

The Times newspaper, painted a bleak picture of Muslims in Rochdale and their institutions.

It is yet to be verified as to how the report came to the attention of the Times newspaper.

Rochdale Muslims have met the news with shock and have been sceptical over the last months of the direct repeated references being made about Rochdale Muslims in Press and Government Circles.

This news story adds to the frenzy which has gradually been whipped up in recent weeks.

Most concerning has been the lack of dialogue with the established mosque committees in Rochdale which have totally bypassed by the Rochdale Imam in discussing these issues and bringing them out on the table.

Even more surprising is that it was only a couple of months ago that some mosques in Rochdale attended a Child protection training program which discussed in detail acceptable protocols for of Imams teaching Children.

Concerningly, it seems no other Mosque in Rochdale is aware about this new report which has clandestinely been put together.

Muslims in Rochdale have been at the forefront of a government campaign to enforce an agenda of disuniting the Muslim Community.

Several attempts have been made to create an opinion that there is a 'major problem of Extremism' in the town.

This narrative was widely rejected by the Muslim Community in closed and public meetings where community leaders and the masses entertained an energised debate on how the Government intervention is there to seek political objectives- primarily to sell their spin on the causes of terrorism whose fingers are being painted at Muslims and their faith.

An event earlier this yea was apt in picturing how the Muslim community indeed had thoughtful views on the current climate and that the threats and fear created by opportunistic politicians, including local ones, as well as government were not strong enough to silence the real debates which people are actively engaged in at a grass-roots level.

The closed nature of the work and lack of consultation with any established local body is clear evidence that ideas and projects are being promoted in order for Communities Minister Hazel Blears to justify her £70 million pounds spending on tackling extremism and only allowing one form of uniform view on ‘acceptable Islam’ for Britain.

Imam Irfan Chisti’s report plays perfectly into the hands of the government agenda of validating the need for Citizenship courses which are an attempt to create a new version of Islam where a Muslim is silent on international affairs, pacifist with freedom of speech and divorces Islam to personal afairs only like diet and worships.

No other faith group has had so much intervention as has been had by the Muslim Community.

It is clear that the government would only like the narrative on extremism to be one linked to the Muslim Community and some interpretation of Islam whilst absolving any criticism and blame for the fundamental factors of terrorism in this country which is based on their own misconduct in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hotspots around the world.

Anyone challenging this agenda will be dubbed as extremist, despite bringing prolific and compelling discourse to the table.

Majed Iqbal is a writer and commentator based in Rochdale. For further details majedsblog.wordpress.com

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